As the driver of the car, you are responsible for the wellbeing of the inhabitants in the car. That is the responsibility you take when you get behind the wheel. It doesn't matter if your passengers are 8 or 80. When you get behind the wheel, you take responsibility. It doesn't matter if your passengers are "egging you on". It's your responsibility to say no. People die all the time speeding... it's a known cause of death. If you and your friend are standing at the top of a building, can you be "egged on" into jumping off? No? There's no difference. Jump off a building, you may live, you may not. Speeding, you may live, you may not. Just because your friends tell you to jump doesn't mean you do it.

He should have made sure his friend was buckled up, yes. Personally, if everyone's not buckled up, my car doesn't move until they are. Call me a nerd or whatever you want, but if you want a ride in my car, you put on your seatbelt. That's my personal rule, but it's there because I realize that I am responsible for everyone in the car when I drive.

My friend Chris hit a construction worker 4 years ago. It was a construction zone, Chris wasn't paying attention, and hit the guy. The guy ended up dying a few days later in the hospital from internal injuries. That was 4 years ago.

Chris is still in jail.

I realize that while Nick didn't technically kill the man, he is responsible for him being in an incapacitated state for the rest of his life. And if the guy DOES die as a result of injuries sustained in the accident, I don't care who you are, that's vehicular manslaughter. A FELONY. Just because he didn't die instantly doesn't mean he's out of the clear.

Jesse - you're just a moron imho. Not for defending Nick, but because you seem to think you're above the law. The legal system is in place to keep some sense of order to the world. The law makes perfect sense if you let it. It's idiots like you who think you're above it that mess it up for everyone. Nick was clearly in the wrong and breaking the law. His friend is hurt because of it. He should be punished to the fullest extent, and he's not. He's getting a light sentence and walking away scott free.